"I am confident that this visit will open a new chapter in our bilateral cooperation with Germany."

NEW DELHI -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced his four-nation tour of Germany, Spain, Russia and France beginning today, which is aimed at boosting India's economic engagement with these nations and inviting more investment.

In the first leg of his six-day trip, he will first visit Germany, where he will hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel under the framework of India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC).

My visits to these nations are aimed at boosting India's economic engagement with them & to invite more investment to India.

Modi said he and Merkel will "chart out a future roadmap of cooperation with focus on trade and investment, security and counter-terrorism, innovation and science and technology, skill development, urban infrastructure, railways and civil aviation, clean energy, development cooperation, health and alternative medicine".

I will hold extensive talks with Chancellor Merkel & we will hold the 4th IGC to further boost India-Germany ties. https://t.co/uey5f9REwJ

"In a first meeting of its kind, I will also have the opportunity to engage with Governors from various Russian regions to further broad base bilateral cooperation and more actively involve States/Regions and other diversified stakeholders," he said.

At the beginning of his visit, he will go to Piskarovskoye Cemetery to pay homage to those who perished during the siege of Leningrad.

He will also visit the world famous State Hermitage Museum and the Institute of Oriental manuscripts.

"I greatly look forward to my visit to St. Petersburg in this special year for the bilateral relationship as both countries celebrate the 70th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations," Modi said.

In the last leg of the tour, he will visit France from 2 to 3 June, for an official meeting with the newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron.

"France is one of our most important Strategic Partners. I look forward to meeting President Macron and have discussions on issues of mutual interest," Modi said.

"I would be exchanging views with the French President on important global issues including UN Security Council reforms and India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council, India's membership of the various multilateral export control regimes, counter-terrorism cooperation, collaboration on climate change and International Solar Alliance," he added.

France is India's 9th largest investment partner and a key partner in its development initiatives in the area of defence, space, nuclear and renewable energy, urban development and railways.